I'll Show You What I Can Be
by Lily Rae
Summary: Erin and Isaac awake in darkness. With no memory of how they arrived in this strange land, they soon stumble into the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. They have questions but even Gandalf the Grey cannot answer them. But one thing is clear: they are in a different world. In the end, will they find a way home? And will they want too?
1. From Darkness

**I'll Show You What I Can Be**

**By Lily Rae**

**Full Summary:** "Erin Sawyer and Isaac Williams wake up in darkness. With no memory of how or why they arrived in a strange, unknown land they manage to fight off monstrous beasts, eventually running into a Company of thirteen Dwarves, one Hobbit and a man claiming to be a Wizard. And the two strangers have questions, but even Gandalf the Grey cannot answer them. They figure out one thing: they are in a different world. With no other option, they accompany Thorin Oakenshield and his band of merry men. Erin cannot help but be entranced with this new and exciting world but Isaac pines for home. Will they find a way home? In the end, will they even want to go home? This Quest will change them both forever."

**Pairings:** Kili/OC at the moment; possibly Tauriel/OC too

**World:** Movie-verse. IMPORTANT NOTE: In my story, there will be NO KNOWLEDGE of Middle-earth in our world. So _no_ Tolkien, etc. Erin and Isaac literally have no idea as to where they are. Will also continue post-Quest.

**Genres:** Adventure, fantasy, hurt and comfort, romance, friendship, drama.

**Warnings:** Violence and some sexual scenes (only mild)

* * *

_Show me what it's like_

_To be the last one standing_

_And teach me wrong from right_

_And I'll show you what I can be_

_And say it for me_

_Say it to me_

_And I'll leave this life behind me_

_Say it if it's worth saving me._

**Nickelback – Savin' Me**

* * *

**Chapter One: From Darkness**

At first, there was only darkness.

Erin's green eyes fluttered open, meeting only the darkness around her. She winced, feeling only the cold, hard ground she was sitting on. Her head ached terribly, telling her she was hit by something, or someone, hard. Blood had dried in her dark hair, it would seem.

Shaking, Erin reached out but her arms hit metal. She grabbed the metal and a jolt of panic ran through her; it was a cage. _I'm in a cage. Erin, stay calm. Stay—_

She continued gripping the bars, feeling for a way out, but even through the darkness she knew she was trapped.

"Oh God, oh please God no..." Erin muttered, wiping her damp eyes with the back of her hand. Terrified, she bought her knees to her chest for some, any, comfort, all the while desperately trying to figure out how she got in this predicament.

_I was walking to work, I'm sure I was...how did someone grab me in daylight? Or did I go somewhere willingly?_

"Think Erin, think," she murmured desperately, trying to find an explanation for finding herself in darkness, locked in some sort of metal cage. Whatever had happened to her, it was wiped from her memory.

But then, suddenly, to Erin's right, a shuffling noise interrupted her thoughts. It stopped. A few seconds later, it started again.

"Who's there?" Erin shouted, trying to sound braver than she felt.

"Hello?" replied a male voice. Its owner sounded groggy, as if he had only just woken up too. "Oh God...I think...I can't get out!"

"No, I can't either," Erin said, almost in relief, glad to have a friend. If he would be a friend.

"What's your name?" asked the darkness.

"I'm Erin," she told the male voice. "What's yours?"

"Isaac," he replied. "I don't suppose you remember how we got here?"

"No," Erin said, her eyes brimming with tears at the sound of another human voice. Her voice began to crack. "No, I've no idea where we are or how we got here."

"Hey," soothed the voice, "it'll be alright, Erin. I promise you, we'll get out of here."

Erin smiled at his attempts to comfort her. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand once more.

"Erin, I need you to do something," Isaac said. "I'll do it too. Just reach your arm through the gap in the bars and see if you can feel anything. Anything that can help us."

"Right," said Erin, and they both began to feel around, but all they were met with was a hard, stony ground.

"We must be in some sort of cave," Isaac muttered.

Erin sighed, and sat back against the bars in defeat. "I didn't find anything," she told her companion, squinting through the darkness to see if she could make out an outline, or anything. But Isaac and his own cage remained a mystery, for now.

Then events were to take a terrifying turn. Events and creatures which Erin and Isaac were not to understand. Not yet.

The sound of a door opening and light flooding the cave caused Erin and Isaac to squint away from the direct source of light. Torches on the wall, it would seem, were lit and so even more light filled their cave. Erin found some strength and turned to see Isaac finally. He was tall, barely fitting in his cage, and had wavy brown hair. He looked around Erin's age; she was nineteen herself. They smiled at each other.

The relief in seeing Isaac did not last long. Whoever had entered and lit the torches with a flaming light were now in view and Erin screamed. Even Isaac yelled in fear at the monstrosity that stood before them.

There were five of them standing around the cages. Erin didn't know what they were, but they looked like something out of a horror film. Out of one of her nightmares. They were ugly, filthy, bow-legged and long-armed. Their skin looked burnt; their eyes were slanted and evil, with fangs baring at their captives. Erin would have bet money that they had a taste for their flesh. They wore noting but tatty rags, with even piercings and tattoos on a few of them. Whatever they were, monsters living in secret, perhaps even representing all of the monsters that Earth had folklore for, they were miserable, but vicious and crafty looking.

One spoke. In a harsh-sounding language.

"Do you know what language that is?" Isaac asked Erin in a panic.

"N—no," Erin replied, her voice shaking. "What the hell are they?"

"**Snaga**." The same thing pointed at them and said what sounded like, "**Snaga**." He turned, walked towards the back of the cave and leant against it, looking smug.

_He looks like he's about to enjoy something..._

Before Erin and Isaac knew it, the rest of them leapt towards the cages, fumbling with a large key to get their cages open. Erin shrank to the back of the cage, terrified and shaking. A grinning monster threw her cage door open and reached in with a burnt-looking hand, pulling her out by the leg. She shrieked, kicking and punching and clawing at this thing. If she was going to die, she was going to damn well die fighting.

"Erin! ERIN!" screamed a helpless Isaac, but Erin couldn't see him for being surrounded by the monsters.

"Isaac!" she screamed back, to let him know she was alright. For now, at least.

But 'for now' would not last. They tortured their young victims for a time, and Erin was sure she would die. _ What did I do to deserve this?_ As a claw came into contact with her skin, the monsters laughed and her blood ran down her skin. Erin winced and heard Isaac too whimper in pain.

"NO!" she screamed in defiance. "I said _NO_!"

A burst of energy, some form of hope, had erupted inside of her. A voice told her not to give up; a woman's voice. _Grab that sharp object. Grab it Erin!_

Erin had no idea who was talking to her inside her head but she turned, the monsters distracted by laughing at their own sick game, and was amazed to see a sharp, metal object, what looked like a shard of something, on the ground. Erin grabbed it and yelled, swung the metal object till it came into contact with the nearest beast.

It howled, and Erin leapt up. Their laughter stopped now, and they growled at Erin, crawling towards her menacingly. One leapt up, and Erin penetrated it instantly; she winced at the sound and feel of metal and flesh. Erin pulled it out and fought the final beast that was tormenting her.

He had grabbed her arm and raised it up, his sharp nails digging into her, drawing blood, but she never dropped her weapon. It was her lifeline. His other arm grabbed her throat and pushed her against the wall. Erin kicked out, so her foot came into contact with his groin and he stumbled backwards. Before he could attack her again, Erin stabbed his neck and yelped at black blood squirting out at her. She grabbed her weapon once more from his neck, the fiend falling to the floor, and ran wildly towards where Isaac was lying.

Erin yelled in frustration at the remaining two monsters, including now the one who was originally just watching, hold Isaac down by the arms. He struggled and struggled, but one opened his mouth, ready to take a bite of his flesh—

Erin pounced, but was met by the other beast that had pushed her away from the leader of the group, who had taken a little bite from Isaac's arm. Erin panicked at the sound of Isaac crying out in pain, and stabbed the monster a few more times than she probably should have.

Finally, there lay only one of the _things_ in between her and Isaac. It grinned at her, baring bits of flesh in its teeth, blood dribbling down its chin. Erin snarled, leapt forward and stabbed it. It threw her off of him, and she hit the ground with a thud; it was too late. The last of the monsters gasped his last breaths and it, too, died.

Erin quickly got back up, aching and hurting all over due to the torture she had endured previously. The spark of hope and fight had suddenly left her, leaving Erin wondering what the hell that was, where it had come from and who had spoke to her. She dropped the sharp metal shard.

Shakily she walked over to Isaac, who lay staring at the ceiling, as white as a sheet and looking extremely shocked. His hand was clasped over where the thing had taken a bite.

"T-thanks," he whispered.

"Come on, sit up," Erin soothed, doing what he had done to her previously: comforting him. "There you go. I think we're alright now."

Isaac nodded, pushing his wavy hair away from his sweaty face. "We should get out of here, Erin."

"Agreed," Erin said, as they stood up, stretching at the freedom. "Oh, here..." Erin tore a bit of her white work blouse and wrapped it around Isaac's main wound tightly. He winced.

"You're covered in wounds too," he whispered, cupping her face in his hand.

"None as bad as that," she whispered back, smiling in pity. "We'll get ourselves sorted out later."

Isaac nodded and they crept around the bodies, to the source of light. They peeked out of the entrance to their cave, and noticed just stone walls and a stone ceiling; several passageways lit by torches. Erin looked back at the bloody mess she had just created, swallowed a lump in her throat, and felt a comforting squeeze of her hand by Isaac.

"Quietly does it," Isaac murmured, as they crept out. Around these passageways, as they tip-toed down what seemed a labyrinth, were other entrances, to other caves like the one they found themselves in. Some had the same monsters in, some had their supplies, tools, weapons in. Eventually, with Erin thanking her lucky stars, they found the way out. Real sunlight was creeping around the corner of the exit, and the sound of the wind could be heard, alongside the smell of grass and moss.

They ran to the exit, and had to stand for a while outside, to get used to the strong sunlight. After their eyes adjusted, they saw where they now were.

The cave entrance was actually hidden pretty well, to hide those awful creatures in, behind a cascade of rocks over a cliff face. They were now in some sort of wood, with tall trees, grass. That was all they could see. They both panted, as their racing hearts still pumped furiously from the adrenaline rush. They were ok, for now.

"Time to figure out where we are I suppose," said Isaac, and they set off quickly, away from Hell.

"Do you think it's possible we're still in England?" asked Erin, as they set off around trees, rocks, stumps, and other such woodland things. She had guessed from Isaac's accent he was, too, English.

"We could be," Isaac remarked. "I mean, there isn't anything unusual about this wood...yet. And the weather is normal."

"What do you remember exactly?" Erin suddenly asked. "The last thing you remember?"

Isaac thought for a moment. "Well, it was morning. I was on my way to...oh yeah, I had just dropped my sister off at school..." He sighed. "God, our families must be worried sick. What about you?"

"Morning, that's right. I was on my way to work, can you not tell?" she joked, gesturing to her black and white clothing.

"Where do you work?"

"Just in a clothes shop," Erin sighed. "I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life...I was thinking of going to college."

Isaac smiled. "I've just graduated from University. I'm—well, I _was_ taking the summer off, before I find a job."

"Wow," Erin breathed. "Congratulations on graduating!"

Before they could talk some more about each other's lives, they stumbled onto a path. Smiling to each other, something was finally going right in this nightmare, they followed it.

"What do you think those things were, anyway?" Erin asked her companion. "A government experiment gone wrong, or something?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "Monsters straight from Hell if you ask me. I don't know what we're going to tell the police and our families when we get back..."

"Hey, what's that?"

As they got closer it became clear what it was. It was a dilapidated house; half the wooden roof had fallen down, the walls had caved in and vines creeped along the ones that were still standing. Erin and Isaac stepped in tentatively, the floor creaking.

Looking around, Erin noticed wooden chairs and tables, wooden utensils, an extremely old fashioned stove...it all looked, well, _medieval_.

"Erin..." came Isaac's voice. She turned and headed for what was a shared bedroom, complete with patchwork quilts, and saw Isaac staring into a wardrobe. "Look at these clothes."

She grabbed a dress and saw it. It was like something from a historical film she had seen; women from the Middle Ages or maybe later would wear something like this. It had the criss-cross ribbon pattern on the front of it. The men's clothes were just plain fabrics and there were home-made brown boots on the floor too.

"We can't be in England..." Isaac muttered to himself. "This would have been discovered, surely..."

"Then where on Earth—?"

"Do you think..." Isaac started, staring at the walls intently. "Do you think we could have travelled back in time, somehow?"

Erin stared open-mouthed at him. "Well, I...I don't know. I mean, this hasn't been discovered yet so maybe we are abroad, in some deep corner of the world, but then how much time has passed since we were taken?"

Isaac shrugged, sighing as he did so. "All I know is that I'm hungry, tired and sore."

"Look, let's take some of these clothes as ours are ruined...and we'll go find help."

He nodded. "Good idea."

So, Erin changed into some breeches, a shirt laced in the criss-cross pattern, and pulled over a woolly jumper. She also chucked away her broken black work shoes and put on a pair of the brown boots. Isaac had changed into breeches and boots too, with a man's shirt and tattered jacket.

"Let's keep following the path," Isaac said, taking Erin's hand. They left the ruins.

"I wonder what happened to the family who lived here," Erin thought aloud, looking back at the isolated house.

"Those monsters might have had something to do with it," Isaac said. "Maybe we're the first ones to ever escape them..."

"I don't think anyone back home will believe us," Erin sad sadly.

After a long while of following the winding pathway through the wood, the sun began to set behind the trees. Isaac looked up. "It doesn't even look like the trees are getting thinner. And there's no sign of civilisation either."

"Let's stop for the night," Erin suggested, seeing some logs up ahead. After a fire had been started, using twigs and green leaves and many attempts, they wrapped up as the night got darker and colder.

"I'm so hungry," Erin mumbled, curling up into Isaac.

"I'm so tired but I can't...I can't bring myself to fall asleep...just in case." The darkness enveloped around them and the cold bit at their sore skin.

Despite themselves, they did eventually fall asleep out of pure exhaustion. And nothing bothered them that night.

When morning light woke Erin from her slumber, she gasped at the sight of Isaac who was leaning on her shoulder. He was deathly pale; a fever had erupted across his body and he shook uncontrollably.

Erin gasped. "The bite!" _How could I have forgotten?_ She unwrapped his dressing and winced at the sight of what must be an infection. His blood was seeping out and his wound had blackened. "Isaac? Isaac, please, talk to me..."

He muttered something in his delirious state but Erin looked around, hoping for some miracle to happen until the sound of voices..._voices!_ Voices and the sound of hooves appeared!

"Is he a great wizard or is he...more like you?"

"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."

Erin didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about but didn't care—they were _saved_.

"Hey!" she decided to make herself known and ran out to the path. "Hey, help us! Can you help—?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, the words dying in her throat. She was met with a sight of fourteen men (where they men?) on ponies, and one tall man on a horse. They stared at her in shock too, and Erin thought back to her earlier worry.

_Where the hell were they?_

* * *

**A/N:** Well there you have it, my new story :) please review wonderful readers!


	2. Of Arda

**Chapter Two: Of Arda**

_Erin looked around, hoping for some miracle to happen until the sound of voices...__voices!__Voices and the sound of hooves appeared!_

_"Is he a great wizard or is he...more like you?"_

_"I think he's a very great wizard, in his own way. He's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for always Evil will look to find a foothold in this world."_

_Erin didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about but didn't care—they were __saved__._

_"Hey!" she decided to make herself known and ran out to the path. "Hey, help us! Can you help—?"_

_She stopped dead in her tracks, the words dying in her throat. She was met with a sight of fourteen men (where they men?) on ponies, and one tall man on a horse. They stared at her in shock too, and Erin thought back to her earlier worry._

_**Where the hell were they?**_

* * *

Erin Sawyer stared at the sight in front of her. Not sure how she was feeling, scared or relieved, Erin noted the strange dress of the funny men. Fourteen were smaller than average, but thirteen of them were built bigger. Most had beards or moustaches of some sort, with weird and wonderful braiding and plaiting designs in their hair. The smallest of the lot had very large, hairy feet and pointy ears. The tallest, who had the most _normal _looking face, was dressed in a long grey cloak of some sort with a grey pointy hat. _Did he think he was a Wizard or something?_ And they were travelling by pony, and horse, which Erin found a little strange. She could tell they were travelling as they carried many things on them, and one such pony was dedicated solely to bags and the like.

But Erin could hardly be a judge of their appearances; she probably looked like a mess. She had old, dry blood in her messy hair, and was covered in cuts and bruises. Erin tried, desperately, to think rationally as to whom these men could be, and why they look like they do. But nothing came to mind. _Where are we? In some lonely, undiscovered corner of the world? But how did I get here if that's true? We must have travelled back in time...or be in a different world entirely. No. That's not possible._

The tall man dressed in grey broke the few seconds of silence. "Are you quite alright, my dear? What on earth are you doing wandering the Lone-lands?"

She found herself feeling relieved that he spoke English but was immediately confused by his words already: _the where?_ "Er—sorry, I need some help, I think we're a bit lost and, Isaac, my friend, is sick—"

They looked her over, some in concern and some in distrust. Erin gulped a little as one such bald man was looking at Erin like she was their worst enemy and another had an actual ax embedded into his forehead. _He surely can't be allowed to go wandering around with that thing in his head..._

The grey man jumped off his horse, looking worried. "Of course we shall help you." He then spoke to the others. "You will all stay here until I have seen what is going on with this young lady."

Erin sighed in relief, and put a hand to her forehead. "Oh, thank you, _thank you_."

However, an important-looking man who was at the front said in a warning voice, "Gandalf—can we trust her? What if she is leading us into a trap?"

_Why on earth would I do that?_ This "Gandalf" simply rolled his eyes as he made his way towards where Erin is standing, and smiled a little at her. "You must forgive the stubbornness of Dwarves."

Erin couldn't help herself. "_Dwarves_?"

Gandalf stared at her curiously. "Surely you've heard of the race of Dwarves?" Erin just stared back, telling him that no, she hadn't. _Dwarves? Race?_ "Perhaps, then, you have heard of me. I am the Wizard Gandalf the Grey."

Erin's mouth fell open. "I—_what_?" _He seriously thinks he is a Wizard?_

"Curious," he muttered. His eyes glazed over her wound on her head. "Did you hit your head? Are you suffering with memory loss?"

"Well—yes, a little bit. I've, _we've_, no idea how we ended up here but...but I definitely haven't heard of you," Erin said awkwardly. "But please, can I explain later? My friend really needs help—"

"Yes, yes, of course," he replied, holding out an arm for her to lead the way, leaving behind the muttering men, or _Dwarves_, on their ponies.

Erin smiled and walked away from the group, towards the little clearing where she and Isaac had stayed the night, feeling a little nervous bringing a strangely-dressed man with an even stranger name, and claiming to be a wizard, to help Isaac. But what other choice did she have?

"Forgive me, but you know my name and I do not know yours," Gandalf said kindly.

"Erin. Erin Sawyer."

"Interesting name."

"As is yours," she said, as they smiled, amused at each other.

"And where are you from?" Gandalf asked with great interest. "Rohan? Or is it Gondor, perhaps?"

Erin felt a little worried, having not heard of _any_ of those places, and Gandalf could see that clearly on her face. "Er—no, London." Gandalf looked at her, confused. "You know...in England?"

Gandalf stared at her again, obviously oblivious to London, England. "Are you sure you're feeling quite well Miss Sawyer?"

"_Yes_," Erin said, a little impatiently. "Tell me, where am I?"

"The Lone-lands, like I said. An odd place to find you, granted...it's a little dangerous to be wandering around here on your own."

"Where exactly _are_ the Lone-lands?" Erin asked, sighing in frustration. She saw Isaac up ahead, leaning against the log, and looking no better.

"In the region of Eriador," Gandalf replied. She looked no happier with that answer. "East of Bree-land? We are currently travelling down The Great East Road...no?" Erin shook her head, unfamiliar with the foreign words. "But you must know of Middle-earth?"

Erin thought for a moment, knowing that what she would say will sound completely stupid. "As in, we're in the middle of the earth...?"

"No, no," Gandalf said patiently. "Middle-earth is a part of Arda. Arda is our world we live in, of course."

If they hadn't have reached Isaac at this point, Erin was sure she would have panicked...no, positively freaked out at absolutely nothing making any sense. But, she had Isaac to think of. He'd do this for her if it was the other way around. "This is Isaac. He was bitten." She showed Gandalf the wound on his arm.

Gandalf inspected the bloody mess. Isaac was as pale as snow, and was shivering from head to toe. He muttered something incoherent, his eyelids drooping.

"What did this?" Gandalf asked, helping Isaac to his feet.

"I don't know what they were..." Erin said quietly, the colour draining from her face as she relieved the memories. "They were monstrous beats...all deformed...and they..."

"They what, Erin?" Gandalf asked, as they walked back towards the others.

"Tortured us," she whispered. "We managed to escape."

Gandalf looked at her with pity and placing his spare hand on her shoulder. "You are safe now, with us. But how were you captured by Orcs?"

"The...the what?"

"Orcs. I am assuming that they were responsible for this. The beasts you spoke of."

"Oh, you know of them? Why hasn't anyone done anything about them?" Erin asked, anger tingeing her voice.

To her surprise, Gandalf chuckled. "Oh we have tried, my dear. Many, many times."

Erin frowned, but said no more of the subject as they had now returned to those travelling with Gandalf. The Dwarves as Gandalf had called them were now spread out, sitting down around where Erin had stopped them. The leader was of course stood up, overseeing everyone, his large arms folded over his chest. They all looked up when Erin and her companion returned.

"Oin!" Gandalf called, as he set Isaac down so he leant against a tree stump. "This boy needs your help; he is very sick."

An older-looking Dwarf jumped up, holding some sort of instrument in his ear; Erin guessed it was to help him hear. He carried an iron-headed staff, and had a magnificent grey, plaited beard. He gave Erin a kind smile as he bent down to tend to Isaac.

"Do not worry Erin, this is Oin," Gandalf told her. "He is the healer of our little Company." Erin nodded, and watched as Oin searched in his bag for something. He yelled at someone to fetch him something, and a large, red-headed Dwarf wandered into the forest, to return with some sort of plant for Oin to use.

"Come Erin, leave Oin to his work," Gandalf said, helping her up. "I think we must talk a little more. You are an intriguing find in this forest."

Erin smiled weakly, as they stood away from the others. "Gandalf...who _are_ you exactly?"

"A Guardian of Middle-earth. You can trust me, Erin."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I don't think I'm from this world...everything is so unfamiliar and, well, _different_." She looked at Oin, using the plant and some sort of cream to keep Isaac's fever down and close the wound a little. It was all so _medieval_. "That, or this is a dream."

"Another world..." Gandalf stared into the distance, and back again. "I admit, your accent and way of saying things is a little different...and I expect you found these clothes to wear?" Erin nodded. "Listen, Erin, I believe you could be right. If you have crossed Worlds, then...this is a serious matter. A very serious matter indeed." Erin gulped. She _was_ talking to a Guardian of this Middle-earth place and suddenly felt like a trespasser. Gandalf suddenly noticed her terrified look and said quickly, "But do not fear us. I will help you; of course I will, it is my duty to. I have only heard of your situation once before, and that was a long, long time ago. I believe we will need to visit those even older and wiser than myself to answer our questions."

Erin nodded, and felt slightly better about their predicament, closing her eyes at the sound of Isaac crying out in pain. She gasped, as when she opened them some Dwarves were holding him down as he thrashed about wildly against Oin.

"So you do not remember how you arrived here in Arda, Erin?" Gandalf pressed.

"No," Erin replied, dragging her gaze away from Isaac. "One minute I was walking to work, and the next...I woke up in darkness. A cave...an _Orc_ cave."

Gandalf pressed his lips together, as if trying to figure out her riddle in his head. "Is this the same for Isaac?"

"Yes. He was walking somewhere too, and it was morning where we both were...and then suddenly it wasn't."

"And how _did_ you escape the Orcs? Quite a feat, I must say," Gandalf said, smiling to the young lady.

"I...I'm not really sure," Erin admitted. "I heard a voice in my head...she told me not to give up. She gave me hope. She showed me where a sharp object was in the cave, which I used to defend myself with..." Erin trailed off, looking aghast at Gandalf's amused face.

"I think I know who spoke to you Erin," Gandalf said. "If I am right it was the Lady Galadriel. She is an Elf, the mightiest and fairest of all the Aldar in Middle-earth. If she knows you are here and helped you, then you will be quite safe."

Erin suddenly had a million more questions for Gandalf. _So an Elf spoke to me? How did she do that? What is an Aldar? And is Gandalf seriously a Wizard?_

Gandalf laughed at the bemused lady in front of him. "Tell me, do you know of Elves Miss Sawyer?"

"The small beings who help out a guy called Santa Claus?" Erin, completely clueless and well aware of how ridiculous she sounded, frowned at Gandalf who chuckled some more.

"No, they are in fact very tall and graceful," he told her. "They are the wisest beings of us, and are immortal. Lady Galadriel in particular surpasses all others in beauty, knowledge, and power."

"Are there others...like me?"

"Race of Men, you mean? Yes, indeed. Many, in fact."

She sighed in relief but still said, "What sort of world have I gotten myself into?" Erin muttered, crossing her arms at knowing _absolutely nothing_.

"We will help you," Gandalf said defiantly. "Us Guardians, at least. You will learn soon enough. I am sure the Dwarves and Bilbo Baggins would love to hear stories of your world." He said the last bit a little loudly, and this triggered the others to turn towards Gandalf and Erin, who suddenly felt extremely exposed.

"Bilbo Baggins?" Erin asked. "Who—?"

"Ah well now that I have everybody's attention, I think time for official introductions are in order," Gandalf said, as he and Erin moved closer into the group of sitting Dwarves. "Company, this is Erin Sawyer and her companion, Isaac. Erin, this is the Company of Thorin Oakenshield." Erin looked stunned at the group, as they did her. "Erin is not of this world. She is not of Arda and she must accompany us...as a Guardian of Middle-earth she must stay with me until I see fit otherwise."

If Erin thought she looked stunned, then perhaps the Dwarves looked it even more so. "How is that possible?" the leader, presumably this Thorin Oakenshield, said.

"We do not know, yet," Gandalf replied. "But first, we have this Quest at hand."

"A Quest?" she asked curiously. This world, with its Quests and Wizards and Elves, was beginning to sound like one of her adventure books or films.

"Aye lass," said one such Dwarf. He sounded sort of Irish to Erin, and had two plaits in his hair complete with a funny-looking hat. He looked kind, but definitely had a cheeky grin. "A Quest to re-claim a homeland and destroy a dragon."

"A dragon?" she repeated. "As in, a fire-breathing, absolutely terrifying dragon?"

"The very same."

"Jesus," she muttered, although she immediately regretted it as they gave her a funny look.

"Isaac is ok for now, he needs to rest," Oin then said, re-joining the main group. "Thorin, we are good to go."

"Thank you Oin," Erin said sincerely to him, and he nodded and smiled. She really did mean it; she couldn't lose the only one who would make some sense here.

"Lass, we know your name and I think you should know ours," said the Irish-sounding one. He seemed kind and also seemed to want to integrate Erin into the group if she would be travelling with them for a time. Erin really appreciated this. "I am Bofur, and this is Bifur, Bombur, Oin, Gloin, Dori, Nori, Ori, Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kili, and of course Thorin Oakenshield. King of Durin's Folk...us. And our official Burglar is Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit."

He was the one who looked a little differently than the rest, so Erin wasn't shocked to hear that he was of another race. A Hobbit. He looked kind and jovial, and gave her a small wave.

So there was Bofur, the cheeky but kind one, the one with the remains of a rusty ax in his forehead, Bifur, and Bombur, a very large Dwarf with a rounded beard. Oin was the healer, and Gloin was the broad red-head. Dori had intricate braiding in his hair, and was constantly fussing over the youngest of the group, Ori, and Nori was a sly-looking character with crazy hair. Balin looked old and wise, whilst Dwalin looked like he had endured years of hardships with his knuckle dusters, scars, tattooed forehead and permanent scowl. And then there were two younger ones, who were rather handsome compared to the other Dwarves, with one sporting only stubble, and had been smiling kindly towards her the entire time, and then of course Thorin Oakenshield himself.

_He was a King. No wonder he looks so important, with his long hair, his brooding look and general majestic aura about him. I've definitely stumbled upon the A-list of Middle-earth. _ Erin nodded. "Right...it's a pleasure." They all smiled and nodded to her. "How on earth am I supposed to remember all of those names?" she asked Gandalf quietly.

He waved a hand. "It'll be easy once you get to know them all. Now, Erin, you will be travelling with us until we get to a safe place I can leave you...I would not expect you to come with us all the way to Erebor."

"Where?"

"I shall explain more later, I promise, when we are back on the road." Erin nodded. Gandalf called, "Thorin!", as the Dwarves made to leave on the orders of their King. Thorin Oakenshield made his way over to them. "Ah Thorin, Erin and Isaac will be travelling with us on our journey ahead. They are lost and alone in this new world, as I am sure you understand. As a Guardian of Middle-earth, I—"

"I understand," Thorin said, bowing his head. "I know how it feels to be homeless."

Erin didn't miss Gandalf's very surprised look but even Erin, who didn't even know Thorin, felt surprised at the small smile he gave her before he walked away to his pony. Gandalf went to help take Isaac to a spare pony, so he could lie on the saddle as they rode, and Bilbo approached Erin.

"Hello, Erin."

"Hi Bilbo," she said, smiling at him. She rather liked him.

"I am the only Hobbit on this Quest and, well, a bit different from the Dwarves...as you can tell," he chuckled a bit. "But we are alike, you and I, for we are the outsiders. I am here as your friend, should you need me."

She smiled wider at Bilbo Baggins. Were all Hobbits this wonderful? "Thank you, Bilbo, I really appreciate that. And the same to you."

He nodded and smiled, leaving Erin for his pony. She walked over to Isaac, who was still and almost peaceful on the pony. She smiled at his sleeping form, despite everything. Despite the millions of questions Erin had, and the worries she was feeling, she suddenly felt a lot better meeting this Company. Perhaps everything would be alright. If she was lucky enough, she could even join them on their Quest, or have adventures of her own. This was everything she had ever dreamed of.

"Erin will have to ride with somebody," Gandalf announced. "We need the other pony to carry our baggage."

Erin smiled at the many volunteers, including the two handsome Dwarves (Erin was pleased to notice this) but Thorin said in a deep, commanding voice, "She will ride with me."

He rode alongside her, stared down and held out a arm. She took his large hand, which engulfed her own, staring back at him, until she had jumped on the pony, behind the King. Even though Dwarves were typically shorter than humans, or supposedly anyway, Erin would never have thought that about these Dwarves. They were taller than her, and had large bodies which made them as imposing as an average man.

She rested her hands near his waist to keep steady, not having a lot of experience with horses, and Thorin commanded, "Move on!"

And off they went. Down the—what had Gandalf called it?—Great East Road. There was a whole new world to explore, hopefully with Isaac on the mend, and Erin was already surrounded by Dwarves, Hobbits and Wizards. She ignored her achy, bruised, blood-stained body and ignored her strange clothes. Ahead were new lands, Elves, and hopefully so much more.

_Suddenly, this wasn't so scary. Rather, it was simply incredible._

* * *

**A/N:** Thank you for your review, Promise1982 :) and of course thanks to you who have favourited the story or added it to your alerts. I hope this update did you all justice :D please let me know what you think of Erin and Isaac's introduction to Middle-earth. Until next time!


	3. Tales and Terrors

**Chapter Three: Tales and Terrors**

_Thorin said in a deep, commanding voice, "She will ride with me."_

_He rode alongside her, stared down and held out a arm. She took his large hand, which engulfed her own, staring back at him, until she had jumped on the pony, behind the King. Even though Dwarves were typically shorter than humans, or supposedly anyway, Erin would never have thought that about these Dwarves. They were taller than her, and had large bodies which made them as imposing as an average man._

_She rested her hands near his waist to keep steady, not having a lot of experience with horses, and Thorin commanded, "Move on!"_

_And off they went. Down the—what had Gandalf called it?—Great East Road. There was a whole new world to explore, hopefully with Isaac on the mend, and Erin was already surrounded by Dwarves, Hobbits and Wizards. She ignored her achy, bruised, blood-stained body and ignored her strange clothes. Ahead were new lands, Elves, and hopefully so much more._

_**Suddenly, this wasn't so scary. Rather, it was simply incredible.**_

* * *

There was silence for awhile after the Company had picked up Erin and Isaac; the drifters...the strangers. Perhaps it was the shock of finding other-worldly Race of Men wandering the forest, or just that everyone was trying to figure out how Erin and Isaac came to be.

Thorin Oakenshield was humming a beautiful melody. Erin sat behind him on his pony feeling exhausted. Her whole body ached and her eyes begged her to close them. Isaac groaned from behind her so she turned around, to see him toss and turn on his pony. Oin leaned over and pressed some sort of ointment to his forehead, which calmed him down.

"Tell us, Erin," came the voice of Bofur, the cheeky one. "How did you escape the Orcs?" She turned to see them all looking at her with curiosity and surprise but before she could reply Bofur spoke again. "No, actually, how did get caught by the Orcs?"

"Well...to be honest, I don't remember," Erin admitted, as they all listened intently. "One minute, I was in my world and the next...I was in an Orc cave."

"And how _did _you escape?" asked one of the younger dwarves in some excitement. Erin remembered that his name was Kili.

"I, er, found some glass on the floor and just attacked them..." Erin decided to leave out this Galadriel person talking to her inside her own head, deciding that they can't think her mad just yet. "And I managed to kill them all before they could do us any real damage. Then we just ran for it." Erin couldn't help but appreciate the admired looks they gave her; even the fierce warrior amongst them looked impressed.

"So, you and your husband ran—"

"My _who_?" If it was possible to choke on nothing but air then Erin was doing a good job of it, after her mouth had dropped open in shock at Balin's assumption.

"Oh, forgive me lass," he said apologetically. "Is Isaac not your husband?"

"No," she said, starting to laugh. "I've only just met him...I hardly know him."

"So you met in the Orc cave?" Gandalf asked, looking for confirmation.

Erin nodded, before, despite herself, laughing again. "I can't believe you all thought he was my _husband_."

"Well you look old enough, and it's not exactly uncommon..." Balin continued, looking confused at her laughter.

Erin stared back at him blankly. Gandalf added, amused, "You forget, my dear Dwarves, Erin will have different customs to you and I."

"Can a woman not travel with a man in Middle-earth without people assuming they're together?" Erin asked, genuinely interested in how things worked.

"Well..." Bofur began, trying to not to smile. "With the Race of Men, not really...we all know what _their_ males are like."

Some of the Dwarves chuckled at what Bofur was implying whilst Erin herself tried to hide an amused smile at nothing ever changing with human beings. "Bofur," Thorin warned from in front of her, not wanting to get this conversation out of hand. Erin knew what Bofur meant, anyway. When it came to love and sex, humans were just the worst. And if the Middle Ages from Earth's past were anything to go by, men marrying young women but taking many mistresses, then Erin could only guess it was perhaps the same here.

The Dwarves, having accepted Erin in their company, began to talk in their own little groups, so Erin decided to converse with the great King in front of her. "Can you tell me about your Quest?"

"Of course," he replied, his deep voice sending her shivers. He paused for a little while, perhaps contemplating where to begin. "A hundred and seventy one years ago, a great Dragon called Smaug attacked the Lonely Mountain, our Kingdom called Erebor, hearing of our great riches there."

"He laid waste to it," Balin said, overhearing the tale being told. "Only a few of us survived his plunder. Anyone who resisted the great worm died."

"Those of us who survived," Thorin said deeply, "were driven to exile. Smaug proclaimed himself King under the Mountain."

Erin could hardly imagine these Dwarves being exiled, particularly Thorin himself. He seemed too grand to have been homeless. And a badass dragon laying waste to an enormous mountain, proclaiming itself—or _himself_—the King. Holy. Shit. But then—Erin had a sudden thought. "_A hundred and seventy one years ago_?"

"Dwarves live around two hundred and fifty years, Miss Sawyer," Gandalf chuckled.

"We wandered south, eventually settling in the hills of Dunland," Thorin continued, as Erin remembered that the Elves of this world were immortal, "where we struggled to make a living for twenty years."

"Thorin's grandfather, King Thrór, became restless and desperate because of our life of poverty," Balin sighed. Erin noticed the silence around them and realised everybody else was now listening too. "He left for Moria with a single companion and never returned."

There was a sad silence this time. "What happened to him?" Bilbo asked quietly.

"He had ventured into our old ancestral home of Khazad-dûm, or Moria as it is known in the common tongue, alone," Balin continued, telling the story. "The King had been branded and murdered by Azog the Orc who claimed to now rule the ancient mansions of Durin's Folk."

"Durin's Folk?"

"Us," Kili said brightly from behind her. "Thorin is King of Durin's Folk." Erin nodded in understanding.

"This stared the War of the Dwarves and Orcs," Dwalin this time telling their fascinating, yet sad, tale. "Thráin, Thorin's father, sent messengers to deliver the tale to all the corners of the world. Word was sent to all the Houses of the other Fathers. The Kings of the other Houses answered to Thráin's call to vengeance, as they all saw this heinous deed committed by Azog to be a profound dishonor to the heir of the eldest of their race, and it raised their fury."

"We fought the Orcs," said Thorin, and Erin sucked in a breath at the mention of those horrid creatures; how brave Thorin, Balin and Dwalin was to fight them. "The war was fought under the Misty Mountains in the mines and the tunnels but it all came to a head at the Battle of Azanulbizar, taking place under the East-Gate of Moria."

Erin couldn't even begin to imagine the war; the heavy armour and the heavy weapons being wielded by strong Dwarves standing upon a bloody ground. It sounded like hell on earth.

"There were legions of Orcs, led by the most vile of all their race: Azog the Defiler," said Balin. "The giant Gundabad Orc, the murderer or Thrór, had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin." Erin felt Thorin tense up in front of her as he re-lived the memories; for some reason, Erin found herself tightening her arms around his waist as she heard more and more. "Defeat and death were upon us. But...that is when I saw him." Erin turned to see Balin smiling at Thorin. "A young Dwarf prince facing down the pale Orc. He stood alone, against this terrible foe. His armour rent; wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield."

"Did you kill him?" Bilbo asked.

"No," Thorin murmured. "But he had suffered severe injuries at my hand before running away like the coward he is."

"Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken," Balin paused for a while, reflecting. "Our forces rallied, and drove the Orcs back. And our enemy...had been defeated." Erin let out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding. "But there was no feast nor song that night. For our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived." Balin stared at Thorin, as others on their ponies rode around their leader in wonder. "And I thought to myself then: there is one who I could follow. There is one...I could call King."

Thorin stopped the company abruptly. He jumped off of his pony and headed for the edge of the cliff which Erin was suddenly surprised to see they were now walking on. He stared across the abyss, with the others watching him in awe. Even Gandalf the Grey was listening intently to their story. Erin had no idea why Thorin refused to look at them.

"Thorin's brother Frerin fell, as did Fili and Kili's father," Balin sighed sadly. Erin turned, shocked, to see the youthful brothers share sorrow with one another.

"And the pale Orc?" Bilbo asked. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back to the hole whence he came," Thorin spat out, as he turned back around to face his Company. "That filth died of his wounds long ago."

Erin frowned at the look Gandalf and Balin shared that said they knew otherwise but instead asked another question. "What happened after the War? Did you stay in Moria?"

Thorin sighed deeply and headed back towards Erin and the pony they shared. "My lady," he murmured politely and she shuffled backwards so he could jump on. No one had ever called her that before. As they set off, Thorin answered her question. "No, we didn't stay in Moria. We went back to Dunland for a while, before relocating to the northern Blue Mountains, where we made our dwelling among the ruins of Belegost."

"We made a good life for ourselves there under Thráin and Thorin," Balin said firmly as the hooves of the ponies filled the air once more. "Our population increased and we finally prospered."

"Many years later, my father too grew restless of re-claiming Erebor from Smaug," said Thorin. "He and a group of followers left the Blue Mountains and journeyed into Wilderland. In the eaves of Mirkwood, he went missing...and he was never found."

Erin gasped. "Oh I'm so sorry..." she whispered. Thorin had lost everybody, or so it seemed. He bowed his head in front of her.

"And so Thorin became our King in Exile," Kili said with some pride behind them.

Erin turned to him, thinking that Kili did look a little bit like Thorin. "So are you...related?"

"He is our uncle," answered the other brother, Fili.

"They are my sister's sons," Thorin confirmed.

Erin felt a massive wave of relief rush through her; _Thorin had someone._

"And was it then that the Quest started?" Erin asked.

"Almost," Thorin said, chuckling slightly. "I heard rumours that my father was wandering the wilds of Dunland, so I went looking and found no sign of him. And in Bree, I had a _chance meeting_ with Gandalf the Grey."

"Indeed, I had seen Thráin before he went missing, and he had given me a map and a key to give to his son," Gandalf inputted.

"The map speaks of a hidden door which leads into the Lonely Mountain, and the key is obviously what opens it," said Thorin. "And now, here we are today."

"Your band of merry men," Erin muttered, as the Dwarves began to chatter behind them of their noble quest.

"But we cannot read the map fully," Gandalf explained. "Someone with the right skill can find the instructions on the map for us...because Dwarf doors are invisible when closed."

"How inconvenient," said Erin, turning sharply at the sound of Isaac groaning in his slumber.

* * *

A few hours later, they had stopped for some lunch. Oin was trying to feed Isaac, and Erin was sitting with Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit, who she was curious to learn more about. "So Bilbo...what is your part in this Quest? You are not a Dwarf, after all."

"That is true," he agreed. "Well, one evening, thirteen Dwarves and a Wizard showed up on my doorstep to take me on an adventure. Hobbits...well, we rarely go on adventures, you see. We keep to ourselves in this world. But they needed a burglar to sneak into the mountain and we hobbits are remarkably light on our feet; Smaug will not be accustomed to the smell of me, either...advantages on our side."

"How brave of you!" Erin remarked, trying to picture a small hobbit facing a giant dragon on a bed of treasure.

"Thank you," he said, smiling kindly. "Are you missing home?"

"Sort of..." Erin hadn't thought of home all that much, if she was being honest. "I'm not really close to my family and I have a few close friends...but I just can't help but feel enchanted by this world of yours. We have a lot you do not have yet you have lots we don't have too...I want to explore it all."

"I shall have to show you where I'm from," Bilbo chuckled. "The Shire is beautiful, and I miss it terribly. I miss my armchair, my books, and my garden."

"I would love to see it," Erin smiled sadly as Bilbo fiddled with his pocket handkerchief, perhaps his one reminder of home.

Erin was thankful that they were so kind as to give her some of their precious food as she came to another world with absolutely nothing; downing some refreshing water she laid back, content for a little while, listening to the woodland sounds.

"D'you mind if I checked you over lass?" asked Oin who appeared in front of her, holding his ear trumpet up.

"What for?"

"You were attacked by Orcs and, as Gandalf tells me, tortured by them so as the healer of the group I want to look at you," he said kindly, sitting by her. "And the forest itself has many dangers if you were running through it."

"Ok," she said nervously as he looked over her body. Erin had honestly pushed her achy body and its stings and sores out of her mind as she dealt with the mind-blowing news of being in another world and of Isaac getting hurt. She couldn't have put herself first.

"Lass..." he said softly. "You have an open wound which will get infected if I don't close it. Are you ready?"

"Am I ready?" Erin asked in confusion, unable to mask the panic in her voice.

"Kili," Oin muttered, gesturing for the nearest standing Dwarf to come on over. "Hold her."

"Hold me?" Erin asked again, the panic in her gut rising abruptly.

Kili knelt down next to her and wrapped one arm around her, whilst his free hand had wrapped around hers. He looked at her softly as Erin refused to turn her head to look at what Oin had spotted.

"Hold her as hard as you can, Kili my lad," Oin requested, as Erin felt a roaring, burning sensation on her leg. She gasped in pain and squeezed Kili's hand, trying to move away by instinct but ended up falling into Kili's shoulder as he refused to let her go. Another wild, searing burning pain erupted, sending shockwaves throughout her body as she gritted her teeth and tried to steady her erratic breathing; _what the hell was he doing?_

She battled against Kili, her body buckling against the two Dwarves as Oin continued to tend to her wound. Eventually, as she felt the pain dying down, she began to breathe slowly again, her energy completely drained as she continued to lean against Kili.

"There you go lass, it's over," Oin said gently, binding the top of her right leg. Erin didn't even remember cutting it badly there. She was shaking a little as Kili loosened his grip, but he didn't let go. "She'll need helping getting up on a pony, I don't want her wound re-opening."

Erin, in a complete daze, felt herself being helped up by Kili but her legs felt completely useless, like jelly. He then helped her get up on a pony, minding her leg carefully as he did so. Erin never knew that Dwarves of their stature could be so gentle.

Erin felt Kili get on the pony behind her as she gripped the reigns tightly, her head hanging groggily. People were trying to talk to her, but she couldn't bring herself to listen, let alone to reply.

Her leg was raised ever so slightly so as to keep the wound closed, and Kili gently put his hands on her waist so that she leaned back against his chest; Erin welcomed this as it soothed her aching back and her tired brain.

Images whizzed across her mind, contrasting to her outside delirious state. She thought of when she was walking to her dead end job at the clothes shop, with her black and white uniform on; she thought of the Orcs; she thought of Isaac and when he took a turn for the worse overnight; she thought of dragons and war and hobbits.

And then, her mind went blank.

"Move on," commanded Thorin.

The sound of hooves and distant voices filled her ears but Erin soon stopped listening and, feeling terrified, finally fell asleep.

* * *

**A/N:** So, what did you guys think? I am glad you enjoyed the first two chapters, I have worked hard on them :) please leave a review if you can and take care! Until next time :)

And credit goes to the Lord of the Rings Wikia for their information on the exiled heirs of the Lonely Mountain.


	4. My Big Brother

**Chapter Four: My Big Brother**

_Erin, in a complete daze, felt herself being helped up by Kili but her legs felt completely useless, like jelly. He then helped her get up on a pony, minding her leg carefully as he did so. Erin never knew that Dwarves of their stature could be so gentle._

_Erin felt Kili get on the pony behind her as she gripped the reigns tightly, her head hanging groggily. People were trying to talk to her, but she couldn't bring herself to listen, let alone to reply._

_Her leg was raised ever so slightly so as to keep the wound closed, and Kili gently put his hands on her waist so that she leaned back against his chest; Erin welcomed this as it soothed her aching back and her tired brain._

_Images whizzed across her mind, contrasting to her outside delirious state. She thought of when she was walking to her dead end job at the clothes shop, with her black and white uniform on; she thought of the Orcs; she thought of Isaac and when he took a turn for the worse overnight; she thought of dragons and war and hobbits._

_And then, her mind went blank._

_"Move on," commanded Thorin._

_The sound of hooves and distant voices filled her ears but Erin soon stopped listening and, feeling terrified, finally fell asleep._

* * *

Erin stirred slightly, feeling the rhythm of the pony as she opened her eyes; blinking rapidly, her blurred vision eventually cleared and she saw the sight of thirteen Dwarves, one Hobbit and one Wizard surrounding her. Isaac was also up ahead, still sleeping on his pony. It definitely wasn't a dream, then.

The sun was setting and the air was getting a little colder, too. Erin shivered but almost instantly froze as she felt hands began to rub themselves up and down her arms. She had completely forgotten that she was leaning against Kili, and suddenly she felt his steady breathing behind her. She couldn't deny that she was indeed warming up at his touch but felt it only best that she let him know she was actually awake.

However, she was beaten to it. "Oh hey lass, you're awake!" Bofur said happily, noticing her eyes had opened.

Erin was pleased to notice that Kili didn't stop moving his hands so she still stayed a little warmer; Erin gently took the reins in front of her. "Hi Bofur," she said sleepily, yawning afterwards. She found, even though she had apparently been sleeping for hours, she had little energy and so continued to rest against Kili and he made no objection. Her leg ached for apparently having to stay up-right for so long. She moved it slightly, stretching her foot out into the stirrup, groaning when the wound began to sting.

"Are you alright Erin?" Kili asked quietly; she felt his lips almost brush her ear as he bent his head down slightly in concern.

"Yeah, my leg just aches," she replied. His hair tickled her neck as he nodded in understanding.

"I think we're stopping soon," Kili reassured her.

"How are you feeling lassie?" Oin asked gently, as he had now rode up next to them.

"I feel a lot better," Erin admitted, "just really tired."

"You slept all afternoon, how can you possibly be tired?" Kili joked.

_Jet-lag_, Erin thought to herself; _serious_ world-hopping jet-lag. "When we stop, I'll have another look at your leg," Oin said kindly.

Erin nodded. "Thank you Oin."

As if reading their thoughts, Thorin grounded to a halt and they were to stay on the edge of a cliff that night, similar to the cliffs they passed earlier that day.

Erin swung her good leg over as Kili jumped off of his pony; he held his hand out for her and she gladly accepted it. She nervously stepped onto the ground, wincing at the pain—she would never understand how she didn't notice that deep cut before.

She definitely must have been in shock.

Kili gently wrapped an arm around her as she put hers atop his shoulders, and he guided her to where a rock jutted out of the ground. Erin sat down, leaning against it, pleased to see Gloin was making a fire right in front of her. Apparently he had the best skill with a tinderbox. Erin was also not surprised to see the largest Dwarf, Bombur, start cooking. The rest of the Dwarves began to settle down around their makeshift camp, opening their packs (relieving the ponies of their baggage) and some lighting up a pipe.

"Thanks Kili," Erin said, meaning every word, "for, you know, letting me ride with you and putting up with me earlier."

Kili grinned. "It was my pleasure. And you were brave earlier, when Oin was treating your wound."

Erin could have laughed aloud. "Was I?" she asked in surprise.

But Kili looked sincere. "You didn't once scream. I would have cried like a baby, it looked really painful." It was then that Kili heard his brother call his name, so, taking one last look at Erin, he reluctantly left.

Oin knelt down next to her and rolled her trouser leg up so as to take a look at her wound. Erin, for the first time, looked at it too—she pulled a face at the slit, almost like a long and deep paper cut, which was in the middle of a black and blue bruise. It must have been an Orc wound, rather than a cut picked up in the woods as Erin noticed some dried black ooze on her skin.

She hissed as Oin rubbed some sort of cream on it, clutching at the grass. "There ya' go lass," Oin said. "That's all I need to do now. You'll have to sleep upright tonight I'm afraid, just in case you roll over on it in your sleep."

"Okay, thank you Oin," Erin said. "Oh, how is Isaac?"

"He is definitely getting better," Oin told her. "I would not be surprised if he came back to us tonight." Erin guessed that he meant coming back to consciousness. How the hell would she tell him they're in a different world?

Erin's face lit up when she saw Bilbo Baggins head her way; Oin left them to it. "Erin, it is good to see you awake and looking much better!"

"Thanks Bilbo," Erin said warmly.

"But I am afraid the food is only average and the night's sleep is even worse," he joked, gesturing to the hard ground.

Erin laughed and, before she could say something back, she heard a familiar voice. "Who are you? No, actually, have you seen a girl around here? I was with a girl, her name is Erin, do you know if she's okay?"

The girl in question immediately stood up, staring at the place where the voice had come from. The pain from leaning on her leg was too much so she settled on leaning on the rock. Isaac was on his feet, the colour returning to his face as he asked Oin a million questions. The rest of the Company were staring at the boy, muttering between themselves, as they did not know him as they knew Erin.

"Isaac, I'm here," Erin called, almost breathlessly. He had only been out of it for one day but it felt a lot longer. He turned, grinning as their eyes met. He almost ran towards her, surprising her as he hugged her.

"Are you alright?" he asked in concern.

Erin laughed in happiness. "Yes, I'm fine. I think I should be the one asking _you_."

He shrugged. "I'm alright...Erin, where the hell are we? And who are _they_?"

Erin looked around, and then back at Isaac. Sighing, she said, "I think you'd better sit down."

* * *

It was completely dark now. Erin had told Isaac everything she had learnt about Middle-earth so far, and his reaction was to take a nap. Maybe that was his way of dealing with the shock.

She sipped at her stew, which actually wasn't all that bad, sitting against her rock. Gandalf was sitting away from the group, perhaps keeping watch, as was Thorin; Fili had sat by Erin whilst he ate. She found out that he was Thorin's heir, being his eldest nephew. Fili would one day be King under the Mountain if they succeed. Or if not, just King of Durin's Folk.

"Do you not think Thorin will have children of his own?" Erin asked him.

Fili chuckled. "I do not think he will." Erin chuckled too, imagining Thorin as a father to a little baby. She could not imagine it. "Besides, he is running out of time to marry. He is one hundred and ninety five years old now." He laughed harder at the look on Erin's face.

Erin still felt overwhelmed that she was even talking to the heir of Durin's Folk, and had shared a pony with the King. It was a lot to take in, but they were all so down to earth that it almost felt like they were just a normal Company.

"So you really cannot remember how you got here?" Fili asked.

"Nope," Erin replied, as he gazed at her in burning curiosity.

"And how on earth did you fight the Orcs? That is not an easy feat," Fili saw in awe, as other Dwarves had begun to listen.

She sighed a little, wondering how to tell them. "Well I've been learning to defend myself for a few years now," Erin told them. "I have a brilliant teacher." She decided to omit the details of explaining all of the different evening classes she took.

"Why?" asked Kili, who was now sitting on the other side of his brother. "Is your world a dangerous place?"

She laughed a little bit. "No. Well, some places are, but not where I live. We don't have Orcs, just horrible people..." Erin felt a wave of sadness wash over her as she set her empty bowl down. "It was my big brother's last wish that I learn. He was attacked and he could not defend himself properly." Silence loomed over them as they listened intently to her own sad tale. "He had severe injuries and he died a few days later from them."

She couldn't bring herself to look at any of their faces, to see more pity faces. God knows she was used to them. In a weird way he lost his own life to save hers; though Galadriel spoke to her and gave her hope, however that was possible, Erin still knew how to fight because of him.

Thorin had now joined them, giving orders, oblivious to the atmosphere around them, and Erin was glad of the distraction. She saw Fili a way off, whispering to Thorin and occasionally glancing in her direction. Bilbo had come over to sit with her. He didn't say anything, just kept her company and left her to her thoughts.

The firelight flickered as Erin stared into it, thinking about to home, the darkness closing in on them. Her family were never the same after Erin's brother had died. Her parents did not speak to her much and had shut her out; two years on they were still in a state of mourning. Being in Middle-earth at the moment was actually a blessing. Now that she was free from the Orcs, anyway.

Eventually the Company were settling back around the fire from whatever Thorin had ordered. Kili had sat on the other side of Erin; Bofur was telling a funny story to everybody, including Isaac who was awake. Erin roared with laughter, as did everybody else when Bofur had finished. Some were beginning to fall asleep; others were sat up smoking a pipe.

"I am sorry about your brother Erin," Kili muttered next to her. "I know how I would feel if I lost my big brother."

Erin smiled sadly at him. "It's ok. I was lucky enough to be able to say goodbye."

The last thing she remembered that night was her head falling onto Kili's shoulder as stories were told around the fire; Isaac was making them laugh by trying to explain how a car works.

"But it cannot possibly be quicker than a horse?" one of them had asked.

Erin fell asleep with a smile on her face.


End file.
